TULITERÄ

Clearly I'm not as enthusiastic about this Finnish debut long player album as Eetu is (he's seen the band on stage too, and that always helps), but they surely deserve multiple reviews, and so here's [sadly no more than] the second one. Categorized as Prog Metal here, TULITERÄ is to an equal degree a Space Rock band, all instrumental by the way. They really combine the two genres seamlessly like it was the most natural thing to do. Now, it's good to remember that I'm not much into Metal myself, but I try to do justice to this extremely powerful, energetic and well produced music.

The composing and arranging credits go to multi-intrumentalist Vesa Partti (guitars, synths, programming, additional bass). Gladly he didn't choose to act as basically a "one-man band" recording artist like several of his countrymen (e.g. TIME TRAVELLER, RIKK ECCENT, LOW BUDGET ORCHESTRA,...); instead he has formed a six-man band capable of full-blown sound and live performance. The other five guys handle guitar, bass, drums, synths and sitar respectively (nearly each of them with some additional participations mainly on synths). Technically speaking, everything is approaching perfection.

The music bursts with power. The metallic electric guitar walls, the multi-layered synths and the hectic rhythm section all serve the singular purpose of hypnotic Metal Space Rock - to blow your mind out, as the clichéd phrase goes. Obviously a listener less keen on Metal will begin to miss some more ethereal spaceyness. Of course there are occasional moments where the Metal wall of sound is not built up to the last brick, for example the opening track 'Percolator' proceeds many electronic-oriented minutes before the Metal element really enters at all. Some tracks are cast in shiny Metal right from the start, while some begin without Metal guitar and machinegun-like drumming that usually enter rather quickly anyway. To my taste however, non-Metallic approach is far too limited on the coure of this hour long album.

In other words, what Partti and his group should improve is composing, and giving more room to sonic/dynamic variation. In the end all nine tracks are quite alike. The Space Rock element is there constantly, but very seldom without the Metal element. If you happen to dig both genres, you definitely should try this band. I personally rather listen to HIDRIA SPACEFOLK, TAIPUVA LUOTISUORA, DEEP SPACE CONSTRUCTORS, DASPUTNIK and other acts of Finnish Space Rock. 3½ stars rounded up for the perfectly fitting design.

I was very pleased hearing the local space cadets of Tuliterä finally releasing their first long player record. I had enjoyed their instrumental cosmic atmospherics from concert venues, and allowing their earlier EP's occupy the stereos of my car on its nocturnal kamikaze straits. I have noted the many obstacles facing the small groups struggling to get their studio works copleted as proper releases, and also seen these attempts being lead to failure. After spinning few weeks this disc concealed to Kari A. Sihvonen's wonderful graphic forms, I'm really very glad Vesa Partti and his musician fellows had patience and faith to work forth this musical vision to conclusion. This recording 'Tulikaste' strikes firmly its flaming blade to the accepting listener's brain with over one hour aggressive ride on stellar rollercoaster to the stars. This glittering skyline of the universe is revealed on the opening soundscapes of 'Percolator', presenting the group's instruments one by one and raising the pressure firmly. This album introduction also represents wonderfully the core characteristics of Tuliterä's sound; The songs do not have so much compositional elements, but they are approached from many interesting perspectives, both arrangements and instrumentations being done with good imagination, professional precision and ambition for sound perfection.

Glimmering burst of stars (possibly in a form of a flamingo) conjure the 'Alpha Blade' for interstellar al-saïf dance. I recall this song as one of the head-banging anthems the group could set the crow on fire at their gigs, memorable guitar lines layering the catchy riff patterns. Some melodic side twists and rhythmic solutions associate with psychedelic orientalism, and recurrent guitar licks within blistering space rock synths create a powerful sensation of movement. The scarce alterations in key notes with short arrangements form also magically vivid and deep track from ostensible simple heavy metal song. When I listened this album through better headphones and soundsystem I have at home, I considered the fine depth of sounds; The soft and very low frequency bass guitars and high pitched guitar tones merge as round and enjoyable sound entity. Following piece 'Jagat' continues the same song logics as its predecessor; When thinking analytically, the main theme could be from a middle section of some more commercial heavy rock song, but here the calm layers of spacey synths helps to build from it a meditative dive trough a galactic wormhole of voices, revealing planes with detailed guitar solo orbits.

After these two heavier songs the listener arrives to vaster corners of space, offering revelations of more massive aural visions. The first of them, 'Firedew', paints the musical canvas now with full potential from the group's palette, relying on beautiful melodies, powerful rhythms and interesting evolvements of compositional themes. The song length also escapes beyond eight minutes, rejoicing on massive power thrusti of musical innovation and performing skills. Further drive to outer space is launched by 'Cetus', an introductive part of cosmic conviction being integral with infinite chronic 'Voidborn'. This existential monolith of universal truth pulses more slowly, curving deterministically in galactic regions, having also some orientalist blessings of Octopus Syng's Jaire among the myriad sonic worlds captured to the massive gravitational forces of the song. These long, meditative apparitions are really on my favor, though I'm open to the faster blasts also. That is provided after leaving the centrum of the galaxy via 'Star Rodeo', more dramatic heavy rock riffs crunching over longer synthesizer layers. This configuration reminds slightly the group's version of Blade Runner's end credits music, which the band has sometimes had on their concert set list. The four-minute song uses also quite many clear compositional themes in its fast pace than the longer songs. The longest of them with fourteen minutes duration follows, 'All-Seeing Delirium' being maybe my own favorite track from this wonderful space heavy band. The pace of rhythm section or guitar riffs do not affect the determinism of solemn melody, pointing The Fireblade's way to the center of listener's mind. The length of the song is not borne from composed complexities, but really euphoric tension buildings of ever-spinning vortex of a cosmic musical mind; The first phase's persisting theme growing as accepting and sorrowful disintegration of universal orders for the second plateau of sonic vastness. Finally the scenery is left for open void of solitary guitar searching answers from echoing apparitions left behind. The reprisal of first massive spin of the cosmos leads to the closing catharsis of the album, 'Menticide'. This slowly beating pulsar appeared somehow as the antiparticle for 'Percolator', these two being borne from void, curving the album on their dance, and hence meeting wiping out all heard and experiences; But maybe only from out of our limited senses, the multidimensional truth residing beyond our limited senses.

Personally I believe the pleasant aspects on Tuliterä's music are borne from its instrumental characteristics, giving room for the listener's imagination, strengthening surge of hypnotic drive of lengthy sonic tunnelings. The lack of singing also relieves from any reactions which certain vocal styles could cause. I also think when this vocal silence is synthesized with shimmering tone textures, precise playing and cosmic themes, the lack of human presence works on this context very well; No one can hear your scream in space, and also when the only association of humanity is outsourced to the listener, a concept of voyaging alone along grandiose pillars of cosmic dust pillars is enforced. The music lacks also anykind of sadism, the heavy metal elements associating with crushing vastness of infinite space and it's celestial events instead of hate; Similarly as I felt on Supernatural Cat's extravaganza with Incoming Cerebral Overdrive's 'La Stelle' and Ufomammut's existential double records 'Oro', though these referred groups have different stylistic approach to artistic heavy metal music than Tuliterä certainly. Also the versions of songs familiar to me from earlier EP's have evolved to yet better direction, and the composition quality with all other details seem very well considered. Sadly I could not make it to the April gigs 2015 also reaching both Latvia and Estonia, but I'll certainly look forward of the upcoming concerts and the vinyl LP version, which was announced to be released later trough Space rock productions. I wonder if it would grow as a double gatefold album with some extra music?

— First review of this album —

Tuliterä (fireblade or such) plays progressive cosmic heavy rock music, which most possibly will please both fans of space rock and heavy prog, also reaching global audience through instrumental approach, ensuring also presence of convincing musical content not relying to lyrical presence.

"Alpha Blade" opens the first EP with cosmic soundscapes leading quickly to powerful overture, built from heavy riff colored with space textures similar to modern Hawkwind recordings. Fine solo guitar adds the musical and feeling content, and pushes the scenario to second theme, lingering with bass rhythm forcing oriental melody lines. Maybe a heavier version of Hidria Spacefolk could be one association from these sounds. After short second for taking breathe, voyage continues diving to a long tunnel of symmetrical oscillations of solo and rhythmic elements, creating a neat vortex to a hyperspace wormhole. Fast and precise guitar licks tie these elements to a heavy metal context, and epic voyaging in these exiting themes makes this as optimal music for over speeding in nocturnal highways (thus is not recommended for listening in a car). "Jagat" lingers between this dynamic opener and following longer track, being a heavy rock riffer with fine drums and trance-oriented synths weaving a pleasant cosmic aural web. Later a long melodic hard rock guitar solo emerges to bring more shapes to this spacey scenery.

"All-Seeing Delirium" runs over fourteen minutes, and is the highlight of this album for me. Neatly arranged rhythm space introduces grandiose cosmic scenes, guitar riffs creating feeling of movement, whilst long solemn synthesizer notes paint visions of huge nebular pillars, creating convincing feeling of large cosmic space. Melodically the composition is in my opinion really great, and there are carefully crafted delicate space rock electronic pulsing enriching the overall sound. First more dynamic phase leads to an open and calm moment with late 1970's Tangerine Dream sounding sequencer sound walls. A long hypnotic phase with leading riff drives elevates from this phase, long synthesizer melodies quietly creeping back to the arena. Downshifted electronics continue as the riff-rolling stops, opening an ethereal space with beautifully weeping guitars, fine dramatics and a union of faster and slower rhythmic elements. All this is enhanced by shifting the contrasts to the drum approach, leading the song to find its coda from dramatic singular note, left ringing to soothing calm space and tender guitar tones soothing after the vivid cosmic roller coaster ride. Final return to heavier repetition of falling theme mingles with the long composition's main theme, ending to dynamic cuts.

So, a wonderful short album or long EP, how one wishes to look at it, and luckily there is more to follow.

— First review of this album —

"Clarity" EP delivers more cosmic heavy prog, continuing the fine quality of the first "Alpha" release. "Monad" surges to existence with neat rhythmic solutions, leading dynamically to a positive melody theme, projected upon vast cosmic canvas pulsing with spaced-out synthesizer sounds. Heavier and less stoned Hawkwind-oriented riff and melody harmonies relate to heavy prog's musical language, especially on the solo guitar, which releases shining deepening positive feelings to the musical experience. A more cosmic version of Time Traveller's sound could be one source of referring also. Minimal compositional elements have been enriched with both wide sonic background components and pleasant rhythmic arrangements, providing enough musical information leaving vocals obsolete, and allowing pleasant cosmic trance experience to emerge. "New Clarity" starts with dense electronic sequencer layers, from which more mystical riff running appears, and thicker fog of sonar nebula keeps smearing the song. A solemn melody solo is included, maybe crystallizing the good elements of Dream Theater, united with 1990's Hawkwind tones, and all this processed with good taste, personality and fine musicianship. After a point of turn in voyaging, the song changes diving to a descending theme, and in the end returning to opening riff.

"Voidborn" is my favorite tune of this group so far, starting with whale wails, Rush styled rhythms and grandiose synth landscapes. Composition twists furiously in radiant corners of cosmos, and later conceals a wide cosmic ambience sequence. Here are found some really fine delicate space sound constructions, sequencer pulsing and beautiful solo guitar, releasing calm rhythm progression. This long focusing to themes brings a presence of astral vastness, also building fine tensions for massive culminations in conclusive compositional solutions. The album ends to quite different track than the others, "Tunguska, Siberia", perhaps speculating the hundred year past events in a horror soundtrack styles. Synths open the tune, lingering acoustic guitars shifting in calm chord run and keyboard dominated minor melody phases.

This act caught my attention on the local concert stages, where they are luckily often seen. A very recommendable group for listening if you like cosmic music, and do not mind heavier riffs or solos in the soup. The vocal problems sometimes related with heavy music are not present on this instrumental awesomeness, and hopefully these two EP's are signals of forthcoming long player record.